Rockbox

MP3 players Sansa Clip | Clip+
1

Hi,

I’m using a 4gb clip +  via a mac with a 16gb card. I’d like to try Rockbox, usb is set to msc and firmware is v01.02.15a.  How will Rockbox improve the use of the clip in music/podcast/audiobooks, and what should I do before the switch?

Thanks,

Scott

2

@stp479 wrote:

 

How will Rockbox improve the use of the clip in music/podcast/audiobooks, and what should I do before the switch?

 

http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/WhyRockbox.

 

Before the switch, you should read the first two chapters of the manual.

http://download.rockbox.org/daily/manual/rockbox-sansaclipplus/rockbox-build.html.

3

How do you know you’d like to try it, if you know nothing about it?

You need to spend some time at the Rockbox site.

4

Of course Rockbox is fine for info but those here are die hard fans of the clip so I went to you first.  Thanks for the reply…

5

It all depends on what you expect or want to get out of it. The majority of people are perfectly happy with the way the players work with their origiinal firmware. If however, you’re looking to tweak every setting (beyond the basics) or more options than you can count then Rockbox is the way to go.

The manual is invaluable, both in installing it and the countless options avaliable, how they work and how to set them up. I’d suggest downloading the .pdf version of it and keeping it handy on your computer for future reference. You’ll find yourself going back to it a lot while you learn.

7

@miikerman wrote:

And it’s beyond just tweaking:  Rockbox gets some things right which the OF just, well, doesn’t.  E.g. no file limit and no obstructionistic database refresh (argghh!!). 

Battery life also improves. :wink:

8

Is the sound quality about the same or better?

(for MP3 only or all codecs?)

9

@color43 wrote:

Is the sound quality about the same or better? 

 

The sound quality is about the same.  You should, however, be aware of the issues.

http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SansaAMS#AMSv2_issues_40Fuzev2_44_Clipv2_44_Clip_43_44_ClipZip_41:.

 

Another thing you might be interested in knowing is that Rockbox’s five-band parametric equalizer is a lot better than SanDisk’s equalizer, which is non-parametric.

10

Aside from things like EQ (which rockbox does do a lot better), pretty much all software is supposed to produce the same output for an mp3 file. There is a spec. If something produces different sound then the spec requires, its not really better or worse so much as it is “broken”.

11

I like the clock, folder play, can see time remaining and crossover.

Gray

12

My initial installation of Rockbox failed and became corrupted and I had to remove it before trying again. I wasn’t that keen at first except that Rockbox happily played files from some of my Micro SD cards that the original firmware claimed were “empty”.

However once I loaded an alternative layout (there are lots on the Rockbox site) and changed the fonts to a size I could actually read I’ve got on a lot better and I usually play from Rockbox now. I don’t use any sound adjustments and am not aware of any difference in sound with Rockbox.

The FM Radio has never worked though in Rockbox but is fine with the OF. The Clip just locks up if I try and use it but it’s not really a problem as I rarely listen to the FM Radio anyway.